Currently, components which are to be mated together in an assembly process are mutually located with respect to each other by 2-way and/or 4-way male alignment features, typically upstanding bosses, which are received into corresponding female alignment features, typically apertures in the form of holes or slots. There is a clearance between the male alignment features and their respective female alignment features which is predetermined to match anticipated geometrical variation tolerances of the male and female alignment features as a result of manufacturing (or fabrication). As a result of the clearance, there can occur significant positional variation as between the mated first and second components which contributes to the presence of undesirably large and varying gaps and otherwise poor fit therebetween.
By way of example, FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate a prior art location modality for the aligning of two mating components as well as their mutual conjoining to each other with respect to an exemplar assembly 5.
With respect to alignment, a first component 10 has a plurality of male alignment features in the form of an upstanding star shaped lug 17, 27 connected to a first base 14 of the first component. A second component 18 has a second base 30. A plurality of female alignment features in the form of a round slot 19 and oblong slots having rounded ends 29 are formed in the second base, and disposed so that each male alignment feature 17, 27 is received by a respective female alignment feature 19, 29. In this regard, male alignment feature 17 and its round female alignment feature 19 provide a four-way alignment feature 15 of the first and second components with respect to each other; and, each of the other male alignment features 27 and their respective oblong female alignment feature 29 provide a two-way alignment feature 25 of the first and second components with respect to each other.
With respect to conjoining, the first component 10 has a plurality of male staking features in the form of an upstanding rectangular tab 12 connected to the first base 14 of the first component. At the first base 14, juxtaposed each tab 12, is a plurality of bosses 16, four of which being depicted at FIG. 3. The second component 18 at the second base 30 has inverted U-shape portions 32 which rest upon the bosses 16 when the first and second components are mated (see FIG. 4). A plurality of female staking features in the form of a rectangular slots 20 are formed in the second base, and disposed so that each slot receives a respective tab 12 when the first component is mated to the second component.
As best shown at FIG. 3, each tab 12 is loosely received into its respective slot 20, wherein the clearance (spacing or gap) 22 between the sides 24, 26 of the slot and the sides 28, 34 of the tab allow positional adjustment therebetween for accommodating geometric variances introduced during manufacture of the first and second components. For example, the clearance 22 between the tab 12 and the slot 20 may be 0.75 mm, whereby the error of mating of the first component to the second component may be up to about a 1.5 mm float. This float allows the male alignment features 17, 27 to be guidingly aligned by their respective female alignment features 19, 29.
In operation, as the first and second components are mated together, the initial contact therebetween occurs when the tabs pass into the respective slots, whereby the first and second components are kept in a general alignment to one another as they are mated. The clearance 22 allows the mating to proceed smoothly and effortlessly as the four-way alignment feature 15 and the two-way alignment features 25 guide the first and second components into alignment. Problematically, however, because of the clearance 22 provided at each of the male and female staking features 12, 20 and the clearance 35 provided at each of the four-way and two-way alignment features 15, 25, there is a float as between the first and second components 10, 18, and this float (or play), allows for the first component to be aligned relative to the second component generally, but not precisely. When the first and second components are affixed to each other (as for example by heat staking 45 (shown at FIG. 2) of the male staking features 12, by threaded fasteners, etc., any such misfit of alignment of the first component relative to the second component becomes manifest, and the visible joint between the two components may be irregular, have too large a gap, be unbalanced in appearance, etc.; in any event the misfit of alignment rendering the fit unacceptable for a Class A finish of the assembly 5.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is to somehow provide an alignment modality for the mating of components, wherein when mating is completed there is a lack of play as between the male and female alignment features and provided is a precise alignment, yet the aligned mating proceeds smoothly and effortlessly each time.